what is a holy cow?

Answer 1

Anything that goes "Moo" in India.


Is that racist? 0_0

Answer 2

A holy cow is the sacred animal of the Hindus, if I'm not mistaken. Holy cow could also be an expression denoting surprise or amazement..

Answer 3

Cows are holy according to Hindu beliefs. so they are not gonna eat cows... remember that when visiting India and Bali, Indonesia. Don't offer a hindus a steak... it's an insult.
then some people mock them by quoting holy cow... then holy Sh*t.... it's really not a nice words to say especially for people who believe in GOD

Answer 4

Two excerpts from Wikipedia:

"In Hinduism, the cow is considered sacred and its protection is a recurrent theme in which she is symbolic of abundance, of the sanctity of all life and of the earth that gives much while asking nothing in return. Most Hindus respect the cow as a matriarchal figure for her gentle qualities and providing nurturing milk and its products for a largely vegetarian diet. Hindus do not worship the cow, yet it holds an honoured place in society, and it is part of Hindu tradition to avoid the consumption of beef."

Origins

Draft Zebus in Mumbai, India.There is no consensus on whether the cow was sacred and forbidden in the Hindu diet from ancient Vedic times. The Vedic sacrifices, after which the sanctified meat was eaten, include bovines, and even at a funeral ceremony, the Ashvalayana Grhya Sutras prescribe the sacrifice of a cow for consumption. Frequently it is specified that the sacrificed cow had to be a barren one, "destined for the gods and the brahmans", or a bull. In their Dharmasutras, Vasishta, Gautama and Apastambha prohibit eating the flesh of both cows and draught oxen, while Baudhya-yana exacts penances for killing a cow, and stricter ones for a milk animal or draught ox. Starting with prohibitions on cow slaughter for ritual brahminical sacrifice, revulsion spread to the eating of all types of beef derived in such sacrifices.

It was possibly revered because the largely pastoral Vedic people and subsequent generations relied so heavily on the cow for dairy products, tilling of fields and cow dung as a source of fuel and a fertiliser that its status as a 'caretaker' led to identifying it as an almost maternal figure (so the term gau mata). Those who believe that Vedic people ate cows propose that the scriptural injuctions against eating it started with Krishna, who tended cows, or alternatively with the rise of Jainism.

Despite the differences of opinion regarding the origins of the cow's elevated status, reverence for cows can be found throughout the religion's major texts."

Answer 5

in India they watch out do not run over the holy cow,one lucky cow he gets to live his life to the fullest,they be live a human soul is in the holy cow.it work great for the lucky cow and he won't be eaten as .a hamburger.

Answer 6

Cows are considered holy by Hindus.

Answer 7

In hindu mythology,god shiva had a cow called nandini.So the hindus worship all cows as the incarnation of mata nandini.That's why cow slaughter is not allowed in india.A festival in india called mattu pongal is celebrated in kerela in honour of cows.

Answer 8

It's a cow that defies all logic and appears unexpectedly. When you see one you're like "HOLY COW!" A state of shock and disbelief follows... and yet... the world STILL turns....

Answer 9

Two reference points.
1) Hindus worshiping these animals, Brahma.

2) Time of Moses during the Exodus when the Israelites created a golden calf to worship.

Answer 10

Swiss Cheese..

In Hindu religion they acutally worship or honor the cow for it's giving nature.

Answer 11

I guess a cow from India, those guys are worshiped over there. So make sure you don't go over there talking about hamburgers.